Comments on: Twins Off-season http://www.twincitynotes.com/2007/11/16/twins-off-season/ Thu, 28 Aug 2008 04:35:04 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: Steve B http://www.twincitynotes.com/2007/11/16/twins-off-season/#comment-2 Steve B Sat, 17 Nov 2007 04:32:24 +0000 http://www.twincitynotes.com/2007/11/16/twins-off-season/#comment-2 I actually liked the Monroe signing. He isn't like the other free agent pickups the Twins have been making in recent seasons, (Batista, Rondell, etc), he's much younger and has put up good numbers in 3 of the last 4 years. He isn't owed much, so I like his upside potential. It doesn't hurt that he has a good relationship with Torii. While I don't think it will be enough to convince Hunter to stay, I do think it's a step in the right direction. I think the time has also come for the Twins and Santana to part ways. The Indians proved that two aces aren't enough to propel a team to the World Series in the American League. We need to find another bat or three that will allow us to produce enough runs to keep up with the Yankees and Red Sox of the world. Santana will never again have this high of a value on the market. If we wait until midseason, we will not get full value. Look at the mistake the T-Wolves made with Garnett. If they would have traded KG one year earlier, they would have gotten the core of the Bulls playoff team. They waited, and we got the core of the Celtics 25 win team. I don't think Bill Smith will make the same mistake. At the end of the day, the Twins probably only have 3-4 years left with the core they currently have. And unlike the last time they were in this situation, there aren't guys like Mauer or Morneau or Cuddyer waiting in the minors. The Twins need to make moves and we probably won't be able to make big ones via free agency. A big trade is the only way to bring a big bat to Minnesota. I wouldn't give up on Kubel too quickly there. I think he hit over .300 the second half. Now I know big second half doesn't always translate into a big following year, (Oh, hi Rondell) but it could. I actually liked the Monroe signing. He isn’t like the other free agent pickups the Twins have been making in recent seasons, (Batista, Rondell, etc), he’s much younger and has put up good numbers in 3 of the last 4 years. He isn’t owed much, so I like his upside potential. It doesn’t hurt that he has a good relationship with Torii. While I don’t think it will be enough to convince Hunter to stay, I do think it’s a step in the right direction.

I think the time has also come for the Twins and Santana to part ways. The Indians proved that two aces aren’t enough to propel a team to the World Series in the American League. We need to find another bat or three that will allow us to produce enough runs to keep up with the Yankees and Red Sox of the world. Santana will never again have this high of a value on the market. If we wait until midseason, we will not get full value. Look at the mistake the T-Wolves made with Garnett. If they would have traded KG one year earlier, they would have gotten the core of the Bulls playoff team. They waited, and we got the core of the Celtics 25 win team. I don’t think Bill Smith will make the same mistake.

At the end of the day, the Twins probably only have 3-4 years left with the core they currently have. And unlike the last time they were in this situation, there aren’t guys like Mauer or Morneau or Cuddyer waiting in the minors. The Twins need to make moves and we probably won’t be able to make big ones via free agency. A big trade is the only way to bring a big bat to Minnesota.

I wouldn’t give up on Kubel too quickly there. I think he hit over .300 the second half. Now I know big second half doesn’t always translate into a big following year, (Oh, hi Rondell) but it could.

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